Chu Liuyue looked at him lightly and smiled seemingly. "First Elder, why do you like telling people to kneel so much? Do you really think that everyone else's knees are as soft as yours?"
"You! You!" First Elder was so angry until his chest felt tight as his face reddened with anger. This Chu Liuyue is really too arrogant! She dares to use that tone to talk to me like this repeatedly!
Chu Xianmin at the side immediately went up to help the First Elder and comforted him. "First Elder, don't be angry. It's not good for your body. Sister, s-she might have done it on impulse… Sister, hurry up and apologize to First Elder and Officer Zhao." She looked at Chu Liuyue anxiously as if she was really thinking for her sake.
"Minmin! Don't stand up for her. This evil, unfilial creature is heartless! If not, she wouldn't do such a thing," hollered First Elder as his blood boiled even more.
Chu Liuyue's eyes turned slightly cold as she raised her brows and asked, "First Elder, if I'm an evil, unfilial creature, then what is everyone in the Chu family? Don't forget that I'm the Chu family's eldest daughter. Besides, I would like to know what exactly I did to infuriate First Elder.
The same blood was flowing in their bodies. This kind of humiliation would implicate the entire Chu family. First Elder was instantly at a loss for words; he was so furious that his body started shaking. "How dare you have the cheek to say that? You actually sold the Crown Prince's hunting ground to Zhen Bao Pavilion privately; half of Imperial City knows about it now!"
The hunting ground that the Crown Prince took meticulous care of became someone else's overnight. He was even rejected at the door on the day of his birthday party.
This was way too humiliating!
On the surface, everyone did not dare to talk about this incident that concerned the Crown Prince's reputation. However, it had already spread like wildfire in private. All the distinguished families in the Imperial City knew about it.
One just had to think carefully and would remember that the hunting ground was initially gifted to Chu Liuyue by the Emperor.
It was naturally related to Chu Liuyue, now that the hunting ground had become part of Zhen Bao Pavilion's possessions.
The Chu family had now become the laughingstock of the Imperial City.
Chu Liuyue was instead thinking about how strong Zhen Bao Pavilion's backing must be to embarrass the Crown Prince.
An average person would not even be able to withstand the Crown Prince's authority. Even if they had the title deed, they would not be able to take advantage of the Crown Prince right in front of him.
It was clear that Rong Jin did not dare to offend Zhen Bao Pavilion.
If she had a chance, she could check up on it secretly… As Chu Liuyue thought of this in her heart, her facial expression did not change. "That hunting ground was originally mine. Do I still need to care about others when I decide what to do with it?"
She said it righteously as if she did not think that this incident was wrong in any way.
First Elder was also taken aback.
Zhao Cheng knitted his brows at the side. "Big Chu Missy, do you mean that you took the initiative to sell the title deed?" At first, he thought that Chu Liuyue had no brains and was tricked into giving the title deed away. However, it now seemed that she had clearly done it on purpose.
Chu Liuyue nodded honestly. "So what?"
Zhao Cheng suddenly stood up, and he glared at Chu Liuyue ferociously with his sharp gaze. An invisible pressure immediately filled up the entire room. "The title deed is indeed written with Big Chu Missy's name, but don't forget that this hunting ground is a present the Emperor gifted to you for your marriage. Logically speaking, this hunting ground is only truly yours when you become the Crown Princess. Currently, you have no right to handle this on your own."
Chu Liuyue tilted her head. "Officer Zhao, you've seemed to have forgotten that it's my 14th birthday in a few days, which is also my engagement day with the Crown Prince. I'll be the Crown Princess real soon. What's wrong with selling a hunting ground? Could it be… that the Crown Prince has no intentions of being engaged to me?"
She looked naive; her eyes were confused as if everything was logical and right.
Zhao Cheng was instantly stumped, but his blood continued to boil. Was this Chu Liuyue really mental? How can a good-for-nothing like her dream about becoming the Crown Princess?
When Chu Xianmin heard the two words 'Crown Princess,' she was furious.
Chu Liuyue really will not stop until she sees the coffin. The Crown Prince has not even made any moves until now, yet she is still dreaming.
An idea flashed in her head, and she took a look at the solemn Zhao Cheng. She comforted him softly, "Officer Zhao, Sister is indeed in the wrong for this, but…"
"What right do you have to judge if I did the right thing or not?" interrupted Chu Liuyue.
Chu Xianmin revealed a wronged expression, and her tears rapidly welled up. She said pitifully, "It looks like… Sister is still angry at me. However, Sister, Brother Jin and I are really not like what you think… If Sister was angry and sold the hunting ground on impulse because of this misunderstanding, then it would really be my fault!"
This one sentence seemed as if she was standing up for Chu Liuyue, but it would only make other people hate Chu Liuyue even more. They would feel that she was a very petty and self-centered person.
Chu Liuyue smiled casually. "What misunderstanding? I'm the one with a marriage agreement with the Crown Prince. What is there to misunderstand? If not, can you really snatch my marriage agreement away?"
Chu Xianmin's face turned white. Now, it looked like she really did not have any right.
Chu Liuyue became increasingly arrogant just because of the marriage agreement.
She lowered her head in grievance and did not utter a word.
Zhao Cheng sneered. "I didn't expect Big Chu Missy to be so amazing."
Everyone knew that the Crown Prince liked Chu Xianmin, but Chu Liuyue still dared to talk about the marriage agreement.
We'll see what pride she will be left with after the Crown Prince gives up on the marriage agreement. "Since Big Chu Missy doesn't want to get the title deed back, then may I trouble you to explain it to the Emperor and the Crown Prince yourself?"
As he said, he looked at First Elder and bowed. "I would like to invite First Elder and Big Chu Missy to enter the palace and meet the Emperor for tonight's feast. You can also talk to the Crown Prince about the engagement."
The last sentence was filled with unconcealable mockery.
First Elder hurriedly said, "Don't worry, Officer Zhao."
Zhao Cheng turned around and walked away after he finished his sentence. When he walked by Chu Liuyue, he purposely stopped for a while. "Big Chu Missy, I… wish you the best of luck."
His aggression went straight towards Chu Liuyue. However, Chu Liuyue still smiled lightly without a change in expression. "I'll return this wish back to the Crown Prince."
When Zhao Cheng met with her gaze, he instantly felt an icy cold suppression. His heart unconsciously skipped a beat, and he unknowingly reduced the aggression he was giving off.
He sneered, clenched his fists tightly, and turned around to walk away.
First Elder glared at Chu Liuyue harshly. "Let's see if you'll still dare to be this arrogant after tonight's feast."
Chu Liuyue shrugged her shoulders. "No one knows who will have the last laugh." After she finished her sentence, she turned and walked away.
First Elder cursed. "Evil creature!"
A smile darted across Chu Xianmin's eyes. After tonight, both the Chu family and the Crown Prince will not care about Chu Liuyue anymore.
…
Prince Li Mansion…
The officer handing over the invitation letter was waiting outside politely with his back bent. He did not dare to move casually, which would show his disrespect, even under the sweltering heat that caused his body to be drenched in sweat.
Even though the person inside had just returned to the capital, the title 'Prince Li' was enough to reveal his status in the Emperor's heart.
Screech!
The door opened.
A young guard wearing a light green gown came in.
He knew that this person was Prince Li's personal guard—Yan Qing—and immediately greeted him. "Greetings, Officer Yan Qing. May I know if Prince Li will be attending the Crown Prince's feast at night?"
Prince Li had come back for nearly one month, but he had not stepped out before. It seemed like he would not…
"Of course, I will." A young man's low voice, with a hint of pleasure, sounded clearly from the study as if precious stones had hit each other.
She was going, so he would naturally go as well.
Ming Cui Palace…
All the distinguished people from the Imperial City were gathered at this place where the lights shone brightly and elegantly.
This was the Crown Prince—Rong Jin's birthday party.
Rong Jin was the Emperor's eldest son and was made Crown Prince when he was born. He was well-loved by the Emperor. With the addition of his outstanding talent and extraordinary capabilities, the Emperor favored him even more over the years.
Many people would then naturally lick the boots of someone with such high status.
Power and status would naturally come their way if they got into the Crown Prince's good books.
The crowd entered gradually, making the palace increasingly lively.
The crowd was not as restricted yet since the Emperor, Empress, and the Crown Prince had yet to arrive. In between the chuckles, there was a seemingly odd atmosphere. Quite a few people kept looking at the entrance as if they were waiting for someone to arrive.
"Hey, did you hear? The Crown Prince was humiliated today."
"What? When did this happen? Why don't I know about it?"
"Brother Yan, you still don't know about this? It has been spreading like wildfire. Today, the Crown Prince said that he wanted to go to the hunting ground…"
Everyone started chiming in with excited and nosy expressions. They were clearly talking about the incident.
It was impossible to stop the news from spreading as Rong Jin had indeed invited quite a number of people with extraordinary statuses.
One spread to two, two to three, and in no time, everyone knew about it.
"Isn't that person from the Chu family an invalid? Why does she have so much guts to sell the hunting ground? Everyone knows that the Crown Prince loves that hunting ground and has spent a lot of effort on it. How dare she just sell it?"
"Hah, what does an invalid know? She most likely wanted to attract the Crown Prince's attention."
"Haha! That's too stupid. If she took the initiative to return the title deed to the Crown Prince, perhaps he would pity her. But now, she has really offended the Crown Prince thoroughly."
"The Crown Prince has long given up on this marriage agreement. There will definitely be a good show to watch today."
Just when the crowd was talking about this excitedly, the notification command rang outside the palace.
"Chu family's First Elder—Chu Xiao—is here!"
The palace instantly quietened down, and everyone looked over.
They saw a line of people walking in.
The first person was Chu family's First Elder—Chu Xiao.
Behind him was Chu Yan, Lu Yao, and Chu Xianmin.
Chu Xianmin was wearing a long snow-white dress with flower embroidery. Her dress made her originally pretty face even more attractive. Her looks could be considered one of the top few in the entire Imperial City. In addition to her outstanding talent, she was also known as 'Imperial City's Most Beautiful Girl.'
Her presence immediately made the crowd's eyes light up. However, nobody dared to look charmed by her looks. After all, this was someone the Crown Prince had set his eyes on. Who would dare to fight with the Crown Prince?
The crowd looked behind them and saw a handsome yet familiar face.
"Chu Ning is here?"
Some people gasped.
Chu Ning was very famous in the Imperial City earlier on, but ever since he got injured and was crippled, he did not appear in front of a crowd. His sudden appearance then made everyone remember that there was such a person.
"He's Chu Liuyue's biological father. Of course, he had to come here and bear the responsibility…"
Some guessed in secret.
Everyone's gaze landed on Chu Ning, but he still looked calm and collected as if he did not notice the crowd.
A young girl followed beside him. She looked younger than 13 or 14 years old, and she was decked in red. She was very skinny, but her back was straight.
One look and the crowd confirmed that the young girl was Chu Liuyue.
Almost everyone's eyes landed on her.
She was never outstanding over the years, being an invalid. Yet, she secretly sold the hunting ground, humiliating the Crown Prince. How could this not attract the crowd's curiosity?
In the crowd, the atmosphere became increasingly silent and stiff.
The lights shone down brightly.
She took a step forward, and the clear lights landed on her face.
Everyone was shocked.
Her innocent white face was in full view. Her brows looked as far as the mountains; her nose was high, and her lips were red without any makeup. It was an extremely clear and pretty face. Her pair of dark but shiny eyes attracted the crowd's attention the most. Her eyes were clear, clean, and pure.
One look at her, and the crowd talked amongst themselves subconsciously.
Her face still looked quite young; it was not hard to imagine how pretty she would look in a few years.
The palace's atmosphere suddenly became special.
Nobody expected the invalid from the Chu family to have such a mesmerizing face.
Chu Xianmin noticed this, and her blood boiled. The hands in her sleeves clenched into fists; her delicately manicured nails dug into her skin, causing her to hurt. Chu Liuyue probably saw a ghost this month. Not only did her temperament change completely, but she even looks different.
Chu Liuyue's original yellow and sickly face turned clear and pearly white. An indescribable composure also replaced her fearful eyes. Her five features clearly did not change much, but she looked way prettier than before.
Before Chu Xianmin came, she was kind of worried that her limelight would be stolen away, and it indeed happened.
Upon seeing her daughter's weird expression, Lu Yao silently pulled Chu Xianmin back.
So what if Chu Liuyue became a little prettier? An invalid doesn't even have the right to become the Crown Princess. Chu Xianmin took a deep breath and suppressed her jealousy with much difficulty. I must destroy Chu Liuyue today.
The crowd only recovered their senses and started muttering when the Chu family sat down.
The palace regained its previous liveliness.
Everyone looked happy and excited. However, their eyes were still on Chu Liuyue.
"I didn't expect the Chu family's invalid to be so pretty… Why didn't I hear about her before?"
"Oh, do you have any thoughts about her…?"
"Haha! The Crown Prince won't marry her for real. What's wrong with thinking about it? After all, it's hard to find such a beauty."
The young, aristocratic children bellowed with laughter.
Chu Ning's face was ice-cold. Just as he was about to stand up, Chu Liuyue lightly pressed his hands down. He turned back and saw her shaking her head.
The main star of the show today was Rong Jin. As for these people… she really did not need to spend any effort on them.
Looking at her calm composure, Chu Ning did not insist any longer. He knew that his daughter was different from the past and that she definitely had her own ideas.
Chu Ning did not realize that he already treated Chu Liuyue as his pillar of support subconsciously.
"The Crown Prince is here!"
When the command sounded, the entire palace was silent once again.
Chu Liuyue looked over and saw a dark purple figure appear in front of her.
The figure had a considerably handsome face, but his gaze was cunning, which incurred people's wrath.
She squinted her eyes. Crown Prince Rong Jin!
The other party seemed to have noticed her looking at him and quickly glanced over.
The two people's eyes met.
Surprise flashed across Rong Jin's eyes. He had clearly not seen a girl of such beauty before. Even Chu Xianmin seemed ugly when compared to her.
The next moment, he noticed that the young girl was actually sitting at the Chu family's seat.
He instantly understood. She is Chu Liuyue!
Paragraph comment
Paragraph comment feature is now on the Web! Move mouse over any paragraph and click the icon to add your comment.
Also, you can always turn it off/on in Settings.
GOT IT